Gentrification, some say that it's bettering a community of people for the better and some say it's "urban colonialism." I, personally, agree with the latter in that it brings in capital for that city, but completely brings a disadvantage to the peoples of that city and makes them choose to either leave, live on the streets impoverished, or choose lower means of living with such high prices that come with the lavish new renovations.
Places like Seattle, Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago and Atlanta are all seeing alarming rates of gentrification and the effects it has on the diversity of communities, its past culture, and the afflicting ways which is making it harder for people of color (POC), to be accepted into these new affluent homes with credit and loans from companies; and to say it bluntly--- housing discrimination.
Housing discrimination is happening among us in many big cities where new construction of trendy apartments and plazas with a new Whole Foods are. Such nice things put into place where we wouldn't expect geographically, but at what cost? People in these cities being gentrified are being displaced, as more and more "..wealthier people [change] the district's character and culture," according to PBS.org. The more people coming in and moving into these higher living apartments, makes the value of the surrounding apartments, homes, etc, more likely to have rising costs. Those very people living in those affected cities have no control in what is to be built in their city and therefore are stuck with the options to build a debt for themselves or to move out to a nearby city where rent, food and gas prices aren't as steep.
The culture of that city as well, will die down, with the exodus of peoples who can no longer afford living there, being involuntarily pushed out. People make up what that particular culture consists of. The customs, values, languages and arts will all be scattered into the abyss.
All in all, put a stop to this act of basically ripping apart people and their homes and small businesses their ancestors have put their blood, sweat and tears in. The needs of the middle class aren't the necessary needs of these communities.
